Hafez R Virjee
Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales
Avocat à la cour (Paris bar) (non-practising)

CURRICULUM VITAEPERSONAL DETAILSNationality:

FrenchAddress:

92 rue Réaumur
75002 Paris
France71-75 Shelton St, Covent Garden
London WC2H 9JQ
United Kingdom

Telephone:+33 6 29 54 88 46+44 7546 800 576

E-mail:Web:

hrv@virjee-arbitration.com
www.virjee-arbitration.com

LANGUAGES

English, French

DISTINCTIONS

Who’s Who Legal - Thought Leaders - Global Elite - Arbitration (Under
45 - Partners): 2024.
Who’s Who Legal - Arbitration: 2023 (previously Future Leaders: 20182022, incl. listing among the most highly regarded in 2020 (Europe nonpartners) and 2023 (EMEA partners)).
Who’s Who Legal - France - Arbitration: 2023.

SELECTED LEGAL EXPERIENCE
January 2019 – present

Independent Arbitrator, Virjee Arbitration – London, Paris.

April 2010-December 2018

Senior Associate, Dechert (Paris) LLP – Paris, with a five-monthsecondment to Dubai in 2015.
Acted as counsel, arbitrator and tribunal secretary in international
arbitrations involving private and listed companies, state entities andtreaty organisation, in disputes spanning commercial, corporate andinvestment issues, in a wide range of sectors including telecoms, tech,pharmaceutical, construction, energy and natural resources (incl. fossil
and renewable), finance, transport and military. Led various knowledge
management initiatives.
February 2008-February 2010 Trainee Solicitor, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP – eighteenmonths in London (project finance, litigation, international arbitration,
corporate), and six-month secondment to Paris (international arbitration).

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS(MOST RECENT FIRST, AND EXCL. AS MEDIATOR)a)b)

As Arbitrator and Secretary to Arbitral Tribunals•

Acted as Co-Arbitrator in a SOE energy dispute in East Africa (HKIAC, Hong
Kong law, Hong Kong).

•

Acted as Co-Arbitrator in a dispute involving farm-out agreements in the energy
industry in South Asia (ICC, Pakistani law, Singapore).

•

Acted as a Sole Arbitrator in a USD 10 million dispute relating to energy
exploration works between an African service provider and an internationalenergy and natural resources group (ICC, English law, Paris).

•

Acted as Co-Arbitrator in a USD 10 million M&A dispute between two Middle
Eastern companies in the energy industry (LCIA, English law, DIFC).

•

Acted as Sole Arbitrator in a USD 5 million procurement dispute between a
North African company and its Asian supplier in the energy industry (ICC,
French law, Paris).

•

Acted as Sole Arbitrator in a sales dispute between a Singaporean company andan American company in connection with the procurement of commodities from
Latin America (ICC, English law, Paris).

•

Acted as Sole Arbitrator in a payment dispute between two UAE construction
companies (DIAC, UAE law, Dubai).

•

Acted as Secretary to an arbitral tribunal in a joint venture dispute in the realestate industry, between an American company and its Brazilian affiliate on one
side, and several Brazilian parties on the other side (ICC, Brazilian law, Miami).

As Counsel in International Arbitration•

As an independent practitioner, acted as counsel for a group of minority
shareholders in a potential dispute arising from the breach of a share purchase2

agreement in connection with an oil and gas project in East Africa (LCIA,
English law, London).
•As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel in a dispute inconnection with the attempted purchase of an African telecom company (LCIA,
English law, London).

•As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel in a potential
investment dispute with potential related commercial proceedings in connection
with TMT in South Asia (ICSID/LCIA).

•As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel in a post-acquisition
dispute involving leading Middle Eastern and European telecommunicationsgroups (ICC, English law, Singapore).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for a leading satellite
operator in a potential dispute against another leading satellite operator (ICC,
English law, Paris).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for the BVI affiliate ofan East African energy company against a Swiss energy company in connection
with a potential dispute arising from a wind farm project in East Africa (Swiss
Chambers of Commerce, English law, Zurich).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for the Saudi affiliate
of an Asian construction company against its Middle Eastern subcontractor in a
dispute arising from the construction of a large energy research centre in the
Middle East (ICC, Saudi law, Riyadh).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for the BVI affiliate ofan Asian State entity in connection with a potential USD 100 million dispute
against a DRC company in the mining industry (ICC, DRC law, Geneva).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for the European parentof an East African company in a potential dispute with another East Africancompany in the field of information and communications technology (ICC,
Kenyan law, Paris).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for a Spanish
construction company against an International Organisation in disputes arisingfrom three FIDIC-based contracts in connection with the construction of a large
experimental energy facility (Ad hoc, French law, France).

•

As an independent practitioner, acted as counsel for a Lebanese start-up in a
potential dispute in the tech industry arising out of a shareholder agreement(Beirut Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cayman Islands law, Beirut).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for an Asian
construction company against its Middle Eastern subcontractor in a potential3

dispute in excess of USD 100 million arising from the construction of a large
energy research centre in the Middle East (ICC, Saudi law, Saudi Arabia).
•

As an independent practitioner, acted as counsel for a Cayman Islands company
against a Lebanese start-up in a potential dispute in the tech industry arising out
of a shareholder agreement (Beirut Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Lebanese law, Beirut).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for an Asian State in
two related long-running disputes for USD 1 billion against four French defence
companies, each arising from a military procurement contract and the paymentof illicit commissions (ICC, French law, Paris).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for a European Stateagainst a European investor in a potential dispute relating to electricity
distribution arising under a BIT and the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT).

•As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for an English
company and its Kazakh subsidiary against a listed Asian company and its
English subsidiary in a dispute in excess of USD 100 million arising out of anoil and gas project in Kazakhstan (ICC, Kazakh law, Paris).

•

As an independent practitioner, acted as counsel for a Middle Eastern company
against another Middle Eastern company and its shareholders in a disputearising out of an acquisition that had not completed (ICC, Lebanese law,
Beirut).

•As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for an English
company against an Israeli company in a dispute arising out of a non-exclusive
agency agreement in the field of information and communications technology(ICC, English law, London).

•As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for an Asian Stateagainst a French defence company in a dispute arising from militaryprocurement contracts and the payment of illicit commissions (ICC, French law,
Paris).

•As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for a French company
against an Indian company in a post-acquisition dispute in excess of USD 100
million in the pharmaceutical industry (ICC, French law, Paris).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for a French public
investment firm against the Dutch subsidiary of a Middle Eastern private equity
firm in a post-acquisition dispute in excess of USD 100 million (DIS, German
law, Munich).

•

As a trainee solicitor at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, acted as part ofthe counsel team to a Spanish company against a major airline organisation(ICC, English law, London).

4•

As a trainee solicitor at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, acted as part ofthe counsel team to an American company against a Swiss company in a disputearising under a framework agreement for the development and launch of an
innovative personal mobile technology device (ICC, German law, London).

c) As Counsel in International Litigation•

As an independent practitioner, acted as counsel in connection with a potential
real estate dispute (French law).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel in connection withinterlocutory proceedings before the French courts in relation to theenforcement of an award.

•

As an independent practitioner, acted as counsel for a Lebanese start-up in a
potential dispute in the tech industry arising out of a services agreement(Lebanese law, Lebanese courts).

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel in connection withannulment proceedings brought before the Saudi courts in respect of an ICC
final award.

•

As an associate at Dechert (Paris) LLP, acted as counsel for a BVI investment
firm, its partners and a related individual in proceedings before the Paris Courtof Appeal and French Cour de cassation challenging a sanctions decision of theAutorité des Marchés Financiers (“AMF”, the French financial regulatory
authority).

PUBLICATIONSa) Books and book chapters•“Empirical Study of Experiences with Remote Hearings: A Survey of Users’
Views”, with Gary Born and Anneliese Day QC, Ch. 7 in Maxi Scherer,
Niuscha Bassiri, Mohamed S. Abdel Wahab (eds.), International Arbitration and
the COVID-19 Revolution (Wolters Kluwer, 2020).

•“Review of Delos Dispute Resolution”, with Ank Santens, Ch. 49A in Horacio
A. Grigera Naón and Paul E. Mason (eds.), International Commercial
Arbitration Practice: 21st Century Perspectives (LexisNexis Matthew Bender,
10th edn., 2019, with annual updates since).

•

Delos Guide to Arbitration Places (Co-General Editor) (Delos. 1st edition
published in June 2018, with updates in 2019 and 2020, 2nd edition published inJuly 2021, with annual updates since) – nominated for the 2019 GAR Award forInnovation. Link: https://delosdr.org/index.php/gap/.

5b) Other publications•“Arbitrage et compliance : la grande complémentarité ?”, with Thomas Granierand Marie Perrault (Compliances n°16, March 2023). Link:
https://www.compliances.fr/le-magazine.

•“Diversity in International Arbitration matters”, with May Tai and Prof. Pierre
Tercier (Delos, February 2022). Link: https://delosdr.org/diversity/.

•“Remote Hearings (2020 Survey) – Data Sheet (2021)”, with Gary Born andAnneliese Day QC (Delos, July 2021). Link: https://delosdr.org/wpcontent/uploads/2021/06/2021.07.08-Remote-Hearings-2020-Survey-Data-Sheet-2021.pdf.

•“Videoconferencing Technology in Arbitration: New Challenges forConnectedness (2020 Survey)”, with Gary Born and Anneliese Day QC (Kluwer
Arbitration
Blog,
July
2021).
Link:
http://arbitrationblog.kluwerarbitration.com/2021/07/08/videoconferencing-technology-inarbitration-new-challenges-for-connectedness-2020-survey/.

•“Remote Hearings (2020 Survey): A Spectrum of Preferences”, with Gary Bornand Anneliese Day QC (Journal of International Arbitration 38.3). Link:
https://delosdr.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/JOIA_38_0301.pdf.

•“A Circle for a Triangle – Geometry in Aid of Efficiency in International
Arbitration” (Delos, March 2021). Link: https://delosdr.org/index.php/a-circle-for-atriangle-geometry-in-aid-of-efficiency-in-international-arbitration/.

•“A Black Swan Event? Implications of COVID-19 for Damages and Valuationsin International Arbitration”, with Lucy Martinez, James Nicholson and Noah
Rubins
QC(Kluwer
Arbitration
Blog,
March
2021).
Link:
http://arbitrationblog.kluwerarbitration.com/2021/03/15/a-black-swan-event-implications-ofcovid-19-for-damages-and-valuations-in-international-arbitration/.

•“Opening up, one conversation at a time” (ArbitralWomen, September 2020
Newsletter).
Link:
https://www.arbitralwomen.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/09/AW_Newsletter_Issue_41.pdf.

•“Delos checklist on holding arbitration and mediation hearings in times of
COVID-19)” (Delos, March 2020) – nominated for the 2020 GAR Pandemic
Response Award. Link: https://delosdr.org/index.php/checklist-on-holding-hearings-in-timesof-covid-19/.

•“Introduction to Blockchain and Smart Contracts” (Delos, September 2019).
Link: https://delosdr.org/index.php/introduction-to-blockchain-smart-contracts/.

•“Activating Arbitration: Four Delos Principles to Achieve Fair and EfficientInternational Arbitration” (Delos, March 2017; Spanish-language translation
published by Delos in January 2018). Link: https://delosdr.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/01/Hafez-R-Virjee-Activating-Arbitration-Delos-2017.pdf.

6SELECTED SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
September 2023

CIArb Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, Selected Cases
Studies in Law, Practice and Procedure of International Arbitration –COVID-19 Special Issues – Lecturer (Oxford, UK).

May 2023

CIArb Virtual Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, Selected
Cases Studies in Law, Practice and Procedure of International
Arbitration – COVID-19 Special Issues – Lecturer (online).

April 2023

Delos, De Damnis 2023 – The 5 Ws (and 1H) – Speaker (Lisbon,
Portugal).

October 2022

CBAr, XXI International Arbitration Conference – Young Arbitrators’
Event, New entrepreneurship, middle market and arbitration: startups,
accelerators, investors and other players – Panellist (Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil).

June 2022

6th ICC Africa Conference on International Arbitration, Disruption andTechnology in International Arbitration – Panellist (Lagos, Nigeria).

June 2022

ICC Institute Training on Assessment of Damages by Arbitrators, PostAward Interest – Lecturer (Lagos, Nigeria).

May & September 2022

CIArb Virtual Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, Selected
Cases Studies in Law, Practice and Procedure of International
Arbitration – COVID-19 Special Issues – Lecturer (online).

March 2022

Delos, Diversity in International Arbitration matters – Moderator(online).

November 2021

XXIV Old Buildings, Al Tamimi & Co, Delos, The New Dubai and The
Law Governing the Arbitration Agreement – W Halla' la Wayn? –Panellist (Dubai, UAE).

October 2021

Delos, India Launch Event – Co-Convenor (online).

October 2021

Université de Lausanne & American University, Washington College ofLaw, Construction and Hospitality Disputes Post-COVID – Paper
discussant (online).

October 2021

Université de Lausanne & American University, Washington College ofLaw, The Impact of COVID on International Disputes – Paper discussant(online).

October 2021

Delos, Portugal as a Seat for International Arbitration – Panellist(online).

7September 2021

CIArb Virtual Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, Selected
Cases Studies in Law, Practice and Procedure of International
Arbitration – COVID-19 Special Issues – Lecturer (online).

September 2021

Uzbek Arbitration Week, Cross Institutional Administration of Services:
Expanding the Horizons with Inter-Institutional Collaboration – Panellist(online).

June 2021

Delos – TagTime webinar series – Season 3: Guest interviewer for“Sandra González on ‘Applying Substantive Law in International
Arbitration: On the Way to Harmonization?’” (online).

May 2021

JURIS, The ICSID/UNCITRAL Draft Code of Conduct for Arbitrators:
Voluntary or Mandatory? – Panellist (online).

January 2021

Delos-SCC-VIAC, Fast & Slow? A Look Back at Remote Hearings in2020 and the Outlook for 2021 – Moderator (online).

December 2020

Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) School of International
Arbitration (SIA), COVID-19 and its Effects on International Arbitration– Panellist (online).

November 2020

AmCham Perú and Delos, The Present and Future of Remote Oral
Advocacy in Arbitration (AmCham Perú Arbitration Unplugged Webinar
Series, Ep. 7) – Moderator (online).

November 2020

RMA & Co. and Delos, What to know – or what to forget – about an
Arbitral Institution – Moderator (online).

November 2020

Delos, A Black Swan Event? Implications of COVID-19 for Damages andValuations in International Arbitration (a GAP Symposium 2020 event)– Moderator (online).

November 2020

Delos, International Arbitration and the COVID-19 Revolution –Panellist (online).

October 2020

The Arbitration Conversation, with Amy Schmitz, Episode 48 – Guest(online).

October 2020

Delos – ROAP 2020 Dedication Panel, David D. Caron and International
Adjudication & Arbitration – Panellist (online).

October 2020

CEA Italian Chapter and AIA-ArbIt-40, Start-Arb: Arbitration and StartUps – Panellist (online).

Sept. 2020-July 2021

Delos – ‘In conversation with Neil’ – Moderator for the conversations
with Sir Vivian Ramsey (Sept. 2020), The Hon. Fali Nariman (Oct.
2020), Juliet Blanch (Nov. 2020), Chiann Bao (Jan. 2021), Claudia
Salomon (Jan. 2021), Prof. George Bermann (April 2021), Prof. Pierre
Tercier (July 2021) and Sarah Grimmer (July 2021) (online).

8August 2020

Fábrica de Startups Brazil, Arbitration for Startups: Opportunities,
Challenges and Success Cases – Panellist (online).

June 2020

Bishkek Arbitration Days 2020, Dispute Resolution in Times ofPandemic: Can Arbitration be the Answer? – Panellist (online).

June 2020

Kings Chamber and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, International
Arbitration: How is it adapting during COVID-19 – Panellist (online).

April-July 2020

Delos – TagTime Season 1 (webinar series): Guest interviewer for “NeilKaplan on Procedural Order No. 1” (April 2020); Panellist for the“Summer Special” (July 2020).

November 2019

Delos and Shearman & Sterling – Dubai Arbitration Week 2019,
Innovation in arbitration: what does it take to promote useful change? –Panellist (Dubai, UAE).

November 2019

CIArb YMG, Is arbitration suitable for small claims? – Panellist(Edinburgh, UK).

September 2019

International Business Law Journal / Revue du Droit des Affaires
Internationales (IBLJ/RDAI) Round Table, Arbitral Institutions: A
Necessity or a Burden? (London, UK).

September 2019

LCA – First International ADR Summit, The Future of Arbitration inTechnology – Blockchain and Smart Contracts – Masterclass speaker(Lagos, Nigeria).

September 2019

CIDS Executive Course – “ICC Arbitration: Current Developments”:“Beyond The ICC: New Contenders On The Market” – Lecturer (Geneva,
Switzerland).

July 2019

King’s College London, Executive LL.M.: Advanced International
Dispute Resolution, The Market for Arbitration: Old and New
Contenders – Workshop speaker (London, UK).

May 2019

Innovative Legal Services Forum (ILSF) 2019, CEE Case Studies:
Dispute Resolution – Keynote speaker; Innovation in Dispute Resolution:
Sci-Fi or Future Reality? – Workshop speaker (Prague, Czech Republic).

February 2019

CARDS 3rd Tour de Arbitration, Experts’ Indispensable Role In
International Arbitration – Moderator (Paris, France).

December 2018

Sciences Po Arbitration Society (SPAS), Arbitration x Technology: A
Call For Awakening? – Panellist (Paris, France).

November 2018

GAR Live in Paris, 6th Annual Edition, Arbitral institutions and their war
on time and cost – Panellist (Paris, France).

9October 2018

Lilla Huck Otranto Camargo, The Use of Arbitration to Settle Technology
Disputes – Panellist (São Paulo, Brazil).

May 2018

Third Co-Chairs’ Circle Global Conference, How to get that first
appointment and continue to be appointed – Panellist (Rome, Italy).

2018-2019

Delos – Inaugural Events Series, Introduction to Delos – Keynote orpanel speaker (Hong Kong in March 2018, Paris in April 2018, São Pauloin October 2018, Madrid and Dubai in November 2018 and Singapore in
March 2019).

December 2017

CIArb YMG, Navigating through Common law and Civil law waters inInternational Arbitration: Young Perspectives from Europe and theAmericas – Panellist (Paris, France).

November 2015

ICC YAF, Workshop on arbitrator conflicts of interest – Panel andworkshop speaker (Athens, Greece).

November 2014

Banque du Liban (BDL) Accelerate 2014, De-Risking Startups – Keynote
speaker; Resolving Difficult Relationships – Workshop speaker; andSeedstars Beirut 2014 Jury (Beirut, Lebanon).

10

OTHER EXPERIENCE (excl. non-legal pro bono)
January 2014–present

President and Co-Founder, Delos Dispute Resolution – Paris.
Delos is an independent arbitral institution established to promote timeand cost efficiency in the resolution of disputes, combined with quality
and flexibility. Delos received the 2018 GAR Award for Innovation for
its Rules of Arbitration, which were further nominated for the 2021 GARAward for Innovation following the introduction of a ‘compliancereinforcement mechanism’ in November 2021.
Delos has one of the most extensive video libraries on substantive issues
in international arbitration, and publishes the leading Guide to Arbitration
Places (GAP), which was nominated for the 2019 GAR Award forInnovation. Delos also provides advanced skills training, since 2020 inoral advocacy and cross-examination through a programme known as'ROAP' (nominated for the 2021 GAR Award for Innovation), and since2023 in written advocacy and writing awards, through a programme
known as 'WAWA'. In 2023, Delos further launched a MOOC on
damages and valuation issues in international arbitration. Finally, 2024
saw the opening of the Paris Arbitration Centre by Delos, the largest
hearing centre in Paris.

July 2012-July 2015

Member, His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili
National Conciliation and Arbitration Board for France – Paris.
Voluntary work for a three-year term.

July 2011-January 2012

Legal Consultant, University of Central Asia – Paris. Provided public
international law advice on the question of the role of non-State actors ininternational law.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
February 2019

Admitted to practise as an Avocat à la cour at the Paris Bar – nonpractising since April 2019

November 2014

Mediator Skills Training (two-day residential course), His Highness
Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Mediation Training Programme

March 2010

Admitted to practise as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of Englandand Wales

2006-2007

University of California, Berkeley (Boalt Hall) – LL.M. Overall
achievement: High Honours. Scholarship Award: Hollond Travelling
Studentship in Law

11

2005-2006

Oxford Institute of Legal Practice – Postgraduate Dipl. in Legal Practice(L.P.C.): Commendation

2001-2005

University of Cambridge, Trinity College – B.A. in Law (M.A. 2008)
Université Paris II-Panthéon Assas – Maîtrise en droits français et anglais
Scholarship Award from Clifford Chance LLP

2000-2001

Lycée Louis le Grand, Paris – Classe préparatoire Economique etCommerciale, voie scientifique

12